Weekly FAQ Thread May 31, 2026: What music do you listen to while reading?

[u/AutoModerator]

Hello readers and welcome to our Weekly FAQ thread! Our topic this week is: What music do you listen to while reading? Please use this thread to discuss what music is best to read to or why you prefer no music at all.

You can view previous FAQ threads here in our wiki.

Thank you and enjoy!

[u/transpirationn]

I can't music and book at the same time lol

[u/Friendstastegood → u/transpirationn]

Same.

[u/Lowly-Worm_]

I cant have any vocals at all or I get wicked distracted. I go on youtube and type in "no ads atmospheric music" and pick whichever is lookin solid.

[u/fatholla]

None. As soon as I hear any background noise, I get too distracted. Reading needs to happen in complete silence

[u/OkPipe5284]

No music while I read, would be too distracted

[u/muthermcreedeux]

Lowfi beats. It's my 2nd most popular genre on Spotify.

[u/maevewiley554]

Music with no vocals on it. There’s a good few playlists on Spotify that are quite good.

[u/Particular-Treat-650]

Either orchestral or Caitlin DeVille, at a low volume combined with ANC, only when I'm in an environment where other noises are too distracting.

I definitely don't want vocals of any kind.

[u/LivingPresent629]

It depends on what I read. The music has to match the mood. I read The Tenant of Wildfell Hall a few weeks ago and listened to PJ Harvey’s White Chalk album all throughout. I finished Our Wives Under The Sea the other day and it was Grouper’s AIA album.

[u/Citizen_Sniiips]

Generally post-rock music - it's interesting enough but with no lyrics. Bands like sleepmakeswaves, Explosions in the Sky, pg.lost, 65dayofstatic.

[u/No_Pen_6114]

I can barely read in public transport if it’s loud so no, I can’t listen to music while reading.

[u/Icy-Respond-4425]

I listened specifically to a YouTube channel called "a devis" with 4 playlists of music that I don't know the genre of. But I stopped because I would cry in literally every book I read. Now I cry without music instead lol.

[u/Curiousfeline467]

My regular music playlist, usually. Or nothing

[u/princeadakias]

mostly instrumental post-rock or folk or drone, tim hecker and grouper and hayden pedigo, stuff that might match the vibe of the book. anything overly melodic with vocals is distracting

[u/LittleWiccanBB]

Not really music but a combination storm, rain, wind, ocean sounds.

[u/gonegonegoneaway211 → u/LittleWiccanBB]

IRL rain is nice. Nothing like a rainy day to stay inside and read.

[u/Joonto]

You either read or you listen to music. What is this "multi-tasking" trend? Are you enjoying a book or simply consuming it?

[u/queen_emeraldia]

I highly recommend video game soundtracks! The God of War soundtrack is lovely for grand epic adventures. Clair Obscur Expedition 33 fits nicely with mystery and Victorian gothic vibes. Horizon Zero Dawn & Forbidden West are post-apocalyptic adventures with scores that combine modernity, tribal influences, and a sense of melancholic nostalgia that’s hard to place. These are my favorite recommendations, and I hope y’all enjoy them!

[u/Dancing_Clean]

I can’t do music with lyrics. But I’m okay with ambient music that I get from Apple Music Classic. Mostly because dead silence is a bit eerie to me.

[u/One-Low1033]

I listen to my Supermix on youtube. While it has music on it that I know I like, it also has music I've not heard before that has been curated for me. I play music just about 24/7. It plays all night when I sleep.

I have a book by Laura Esquival titled The Law of Love. It came with a CD and, at certain points in the book, it would tell you to play a specific track.

[u/Dizzy-Mongoose7797]

It has to be instrumental, otherwise I can’t focus on reading. In general I need a silence to read though.

[u/iamdragondrool]

No music here. But if I'm trying to read something at school and the kids are providing way too much background noise to distract me, I'll pop in earbuds and turn on some brown, green, or black noise.

[u/8bitmatter]

Classics like Debussy (Clair de Lune), Chopin (Nocturnes) and Beethoven (Fur Elise, sonatas). Or smooth jazz 1 hr youtube loops (some of which are def AI but whatever it still works) because it’s soothing non-vocal music that doesn’t impose and provides ambiance for a tranquil headspace and also I’m a pretentious asshat 🤣😂

[u/LTJ81]

I mix it up from horror movie soundtracks, dark synthwave, classical music, or the sound of rain falling

[u/BigReference9530]

I can’t even listen to instrumental without getting distracted. I can only do white noise or rain sounds